Official Opening of the Centre for Future Timber Structures at UQ

Queensland Forestry Minister Leanne Donaldson has opened a research centre at the University of Queensland to develop the use of timber in high-rise construction.

“The centre’s mission is to engineer new timber building products, deliver tall timber buildings and transform Queensland’s timber industry in the process,” she said.

The Queensland Government’s $1 million in funding was matched by the University of Queensland. Private sector partners are Queensland-based timber processor Hyne Timber, global engineering firm Arup Engineering and major building company Lendlease. The Australian Research Council is providing an additional $1.5 million to the project.

A key component of the project is the Advanced Engineering Building (AEB). The vision for the AEB was to create a building to celebrate, collaborate, create, learn, innovate and sustain, all within an integrated engineering landscape.

Whilst the 500-seat auditorium is predominantly used in lecture mode, the flexible space provides the opportunity to permit engineering to merge with function, cultural and art possibilities.

Pre-fabricated timber trusses consist of glued laminated hardwood flitch sections comprising a structural steel plate sandwiched between two timber sections. The trusses were fabricated off-site, transported and assembled in place and lifted in a single day.